1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for isolating a work object and, more particularly, to such a method and apparatus which are operable with particular utility in surgical and other medical techniques and particularly those involving osseointegration.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of surgical procedures have long been employed to restore, or reinforce, the physiological integrity of living creatures, and particularly of human beings. While the earliest such surgical techniques focused on the restoration of, for example, the human skeletal structure, the same basic techniques have application to a wide variety of surgical and other medical applications with significant beneficial effect.
It is known, for example, to use the technique of osseointegration to unite bone fragments for the purpose of restoring an arm, leg or other skeletal structure. This technique has been employed with beneficial effect in a wide variety of applications including, more recently, in the establishment of dental implants. For example, the Lazzara, et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,846,683 and 4,850,870 disclose, respectively, prosthodontic restoration techniques which employ osseointegration to achieve attachment of the individual dental implants. These patents are merely representative of a wide variety of techniques, both patented and otherwise in usage, which permit the implacement of dental appliances at locations and with a permanency not heretofore achieved using prior art surgical techniques.
It is apparent, however, that the use of such surgical techniques, whether for dental surgery or other surgical or medical purposes, presents difficulties which may not only interfere with the long term success of the technique, but may also cause unwarranted pain and other discomfort for the patient during the recovery period. More specifically, in the case of dental implant surgery, a condition develops because of the passage of time required for the osseointegration to be achieved. It is inherent in this surgical technique that a period of several months is required for the implant to join with the bone structure by the very process of osseointegration. It is also necessary to provide sufficient time for the dental restoration to be prepared by a dental laboratory. During this period of time, other physiological development occurs which may interfere, or complicate, the subsequent surgical procedures. The discomfort and pain of the patient experienced during these surgical procedures is well known and the long term success of the surgical procedure may be compromised. More specifically, the gum tissue proximate to the location in which the dental implant is undergoing osseointegration, and thereafter before the permanent dental appliance is installed, continues to grow and occludes the site of the implant. The natural tendency is for such gum tissues invade and to overlay the site of the implant during this period of time. After osseointegration has taken place, a solid abutment is attached to the implant. The dental appliance is subsequently attached to the abutment. It is required that the incursion of gum tissue be displaced from the location of the implant to permit the solid abutment and subsequently the dental appliance to be permanently affixed to the location. Typically, the removal of such gum tissue requires that the gum tissue be incised and extracted from the site to expose the implant and the area required for the abutment and dental appliance to be installed. This surgical procedure, of course, causes discomfort and pain to the patient as well as presenting the opportunity for infection and other medical complications which may significantly interfere with the overall success of the surgical procedure.
Therefore, it has long been known that it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus for isolating a work object which have particular utility in the practice of surgical and other medical procedures employing the technique of osseointegration; which operate to ensure that the negative consequences experienced with the use of such surgical techniques are minimized; which have particular utility in the surgical techniques employed in the use of osseointegration in the establishment of dental implants; which operate to secure the surgical area over the lengthy period required for osseointegration to take place and subsequent surgical procedures to be performed; which are fully compatible with surgical techniques presently employed in osseointegration, whether dental or for other specific purposes; and which are otherwise fully capable of achieving their respective operational objectives.